The Five Minute Interview: Thomas Reeve

Every friday Thomasenmadrid will publish a short interview with one of the Key figures of my life here in Spain. I will vainly start with myself, but don't worry, from next week on you will be able to look deep into the hearts of those important to me.

My favorite place in Madrid is: Templo de Debod, an Egyptian temple in the centre. For a while I reckoned that it should have been given to my grandfather for his efforts in Egypt. Then I discovered it had nothing to do with him or my family. The only hope left is that he did have something to do with it, because the good man was in fact a spy working for his majesty’s services. This is something my father believes. I also love Paseo de Recoletos between Plaza de Colon and Cibeles because it is very 'turn of the century' art deco.

Something I say too often is: “Entonces…” which means something like, “so, recapping what I (or you) have just said…”. In an attempt to make people relate a short phrase to my very person I recently I have been saying "digo yo" ("that's what I say" or "that's also my opinion) a lot, with considerable succes.

I am not a politician, but: I would bring back the plan to make Madrid a port city. Someone actually tried to do this at the beginning of last century by constructing a canal between Madrid and the Atlantic although just one look at the river Manzanares makes me rather skeptical of this idea.

People know me from being an assistant project manager at SICI Dominus, but in a truer life I would be: an astronaut or a pilot. That’s odd, because I hate flying.

If I weren't talking to you right now I would be: probably in the metro. As a part-time English teacher I spend most of my time underground. I like the anonymity of being a metro-passenger. I pride myself knowing for each station I am going to where to enter the train so that when I get out I am closest to the exit.

Normally, my breakfast consists of: pine-apple juice (Carefour’s own brand), three or four Maria biscuits (again, Carefour’s) and half a carton of yoghurt (you guessed it, Carefour). Although I never have time I would like to think that I also have a tea.

I passionately have confidence in: “Kun” Aguerro, the forward of Atlético de Madrid. He will guide us towards a place in the Champions League.

At the moment the most played on my MP3 player is: Boudewijn de Groot, the Dutch Bob Dylan. My brother sent me some CD’s which I left behind and this was one of them. My choice of music is somewhat dated. I also like listening to Nino Bravo.

In moments of weakness I: think back to my Erasmus period in Stockholm. I shouldn’t do this. It actually makes me sad with melancholy.

I'm good at: Stumping people down the leg-side. Of course this is total abracadabra for non-cricketers and that’s partly why I said it, but it is true. In the game of cricket I am good at this particular aspect.

I'm very bad at: Home truths. I only recently discovered that if you go out of the house with wet hair you might get a cold. Thank God for Carmen.

The ideal night out is: For me, visiting a Flamenco performance at about nine o’clock and then heading off to a nearby bar/restaurant to have some tapas (preferably tortilla, zorza, pimientos de padron and croquetas). After that I would go to two or three bars in the old districts of Madrid, like La Latina, Lavapies or Tirso de Molina. If I feel like it I would try to find a place which stays open after three. For this I would need to go to the Gran Vía/Sol area.

In a nutshell, my philosophy is this: Life is like a sewer, what you put into it is what you get out of it. By far my favorite quote.